Architects and neighbours are worried plans for Imperial College to pay over £78,500 to remove five trees in order to get the green light for a development will set a precedent.

If the housing in Pembridge Road, Notting Hill, gets the go-ahead tomorrow evening (September 2), celebrated architect Michael Mallison, supported by neighbours, is worried Kensington and Chelsea Council will set a precedent for allowing developers to pay lots of money to remove trees and build whatever they want, especially basements in homes.

Trees are currently the number one reason most basement plans get rejected.

The development has been rejected twice before but the council’s planning committee is set to give the thumbs up for the university to build six four-bedroom houses on the site and to pay £78,595 to remove five lime trees covered by a tree preservation order so the properties can be built.

Mr Mallinson, who has worked on a house in nearby Pembridge Gardens, said: “This proposal has been refused twice before because of the trees and now Kensington and Chelsea council is saying it’s alright to accept a financial obligation towards trees covered by a tree preservation order so they can cut them down.

“We’re very concerned this will set a precedent for the borough. Most basement developments get rejected because of trees and if people are allowed to just pay a lot of money to rip them out then developers and homeowners will run riot.

"Imperial College are also meant to be environmentally friendly. I even offered them another design free of charge which kept the trees in but they wouldn't listen."

Architect Michael Mallison offered Imperial College a design which included the trees

Daniel Palman, associate director of Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners planning consultants, added: “When we asked the case officer if the council had ever accepted a financial obligation towards tree preservation order trees he was not aware they had followed this approach previously.”

A council spokesman said no decision has been made yet and the planning committee will need to weigh up the different aspects of the proposals.

He said: “The loss of the existing trees is clearly a consideration. The loss of the trees needs to be balanced against the enhancements to the character and appearance of the Pembridge Conservation Area that would result from replacing the existing buildings with those proposed, as well as taking into account the provision of new trees and also affordable housing, both of which would need to be secured through legal agreement.

“The planning committee will balance all the considerations, including representations from local residents, and decide whether a grant of planning permission would be justified in this instance.”

Imperial College have not provided us with a comment yet.